The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Well played fellas and props to Son of Swampy. I had massive doubts, as did a few others here, but he's played a really important innings and most importantly he's still there. A fantastic platform has been laid so it's crucial the boys cash in today. Smith keeps growing and growing as a batsman with each test. He was thrust into the team too early but in the last 12 months he has looked like a proper test cricketer.
It's always a risk bowling first, but you can understand Smith's reasoning. He's got the two best pace bowlers in the world (and another handy one) on a track that looked as green as my front lawn and playing against a battling line up that's still pretty brittle. I would have been mighty tempted to do it too and realistically he looked like a genius not long after lunch.
As for this talk that Steyn and Philander aren't absolutely world class, Pfitzy what are you smoking old son?
It's always a risk bowling first, but you can understand Smith's reasoning. He's got the two best pace bowlers in the world (and another handy one) on a track that looked as green as my front lawn and playing against a battling line up that's still pretty brittle. I would have been mighty tempted to do it too and realistically he looked like a genius not long after lunch.
As for this talk that Steyn and Philander aren't absolutely world class, Pfitzy what are you smoking old son?